Spindle locking device for vehicle doors



L. W. GATES SPINDLE LOCKING DEVICE FOR VEHICLE DOORS Filed Sept. 6,

July 8, 1924,

IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

atented July 8, 1924.

LOUIS W. GATES, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO C. OOWLES COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNEGTIOUT.

SPINIDLE LOOKING DEVICE FOR VEHICLE DOORS.

Application filed September 6, 1921. serial No. 498,741.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis W. GATES, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Spindle Locking Devices for Vehicle Doors, of which the following is a specification.

In closed automobiles, it is usually very inconvenient to have the doors on both sides of the car with key controlled looks with the keyholes on the outside. It is much more convenient if some means is provided for locking one door on the inside of the car, preferably the left-hand door, which look may be easily set when leaving the car.

- and securing the right-hand door only by means of a key controlled lock.

It is an object of my invention to provide a locking attachment which may be applied to the inner side of the lock which is not key controlled, and which may be easily and quickly locked from the inside without the use of a key.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device of this character which may be made 11p and easily applied as a unit to locks already in use, thus providing asimple and efl'ective locking means for the door without requiring the owner t buy an entirely new look.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a locking device which may be applied to the projecting free end of the square. spindle, ordinarily employed in the looks now in use.

With these and other objects in view I have devised the device illustrated in-the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an edge elevation of an automobile door showing a common lock in position therein and with my locking attachment applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an elevation looking toward the inner side of the door.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the locking attachment showing the elements in locking position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to- Fig. 3 showing the elements in unlocked position.

Fig. 5 is a partial, central, sectional view of the attachment, and

Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of the locking elements removed.

The door is represented by the reference numeral 10, and mounted in a recess therein 1s the usual lock 11 operated .by a suitable handle 12 secured to the outer end of the square operating rod or spindle 13 which extends through the door and lock, and is secured in position by the usual escutcheon 14 attached to the outer surface of the door by suitable screws 15. 'The lock operatmg rod or spindle 13 has a free inner end 16 projecting a slight distance from the inner face of the lock, and my looking attapihment is applied to this free projecting en This attachment comprises a covering and. supporting plate 17 provided inv its rear face with suitable communicating recesses 18 and 19 for the locking elements. The spindle element 20 comprises a substantially flat disc having a central square opening 21 adapt ed to fit over the free end 16 of the spindle 13 and is provided at one side thereof with W a projection 22. The manually opera-ted locking element 23 is mounted in the recess 12 and is riveted or otherwise secured to a pm 24 rotatably mounted in the inner wall of the plate 17 and is provided on the front W side of this plate witha knurled head 25. The locking element 23 is also a flat disc substantially the same thickness as the spindle element. 20, but is-slabbed off at one side to form fiat portion 26, and is further slabbed off to provide a small inclined stop surface 27. One side of the projection 22 on the spindle element 20 is rounded at 28 to fit the curved side of the locking element 23. The recess 19 for the locking element to 23 is substantially circular but, adjacent its communication with the recess 18, is provided with a sto shoulder 29 projecting inwardly toward the center of. the recess,

which provides a limit stop for the looking as the pin. This element may be turned on the pin as a pivot by means of the knurled head 25. The spindle element 20 is then placed in the recess 18, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and then placed over the free end of the spindle or rod 13, as shoWn in Figs. 1 and 5. When the locking element 23 is in the position shown in Fig. 4 with the inclined surface 27 in contact with the sto shoulder 29, the Hat side 26 is substantia ly horizontal and will allow the projection 22 to freely swing in the recess. It will thus be evident that, in this position, the lock spindle 13 is free to turn under the action of the handle 12 and the door is unlocked. The usual spring in the lock of the door tends to keep the latch or bolt 24 thereof in extended or securing position with spindle element 20 in the position shown in Fig. 3. If, now, the operator in leaving the 'car wishes to lock the door from the inner side. all that is necessary is to turn the knurled head 25 to bring the locking element 23 t0 the posit-ion shown in Fig. 3, with the curved side thereof resting within the portion 2 of the projection 22. It will thus be evi dent that the spindle element 20 will then be locked in the position shown in Fig, 3 effectively preventing turning of the SPlIl dle or rod 13 and locking the door.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that the device isvery simple in construction and is, therefore, not liable to easily get out of order, is comparatively cheap to manufacture, and may be very easily and quickly applied to any lock having a projecting free end of the spindle 13,

as the setting of a single screw is all that is required. It also provides an effective locking means for a lock already attached to the door.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination with a lock having a spindle with a projecting free end, a locking attachment for the spindle comprising a support, an element mounted on said projecting end to turn with the spindle and carried by the support independently of the spindle, and manually operable means carried by the support for locking said element against turning.

2. In combination with a lock having a spindle with a projecting free end, a locking attachment for said spindle comprising a support, an element mounted on the free end of the spindle to turn therewith and provided with a projection, said element being carried by the support independently of the spindle, and manually controlled means carried by the support movable to and from the path of movement of said projection to lock and unlock the spindle against turning.-

3. lln combination with a lock provided with an operating spindle, an element secured to turn with the spindle provided with a projection having a recess on one side thereof, and a pivotally mounted locking element adapted to be turned so that a portion thereof rests in said recess to prevent turning of the spindle, and manual means for operating said locking element.

4. A locking attachment for lock spindles comprising a supporting plate adapted for attachment to a lock, an element mounted in the plate adapted to receive an end of the spindle and to turn therewith, said element being carried by the plate independently of the spindle, and manually controlled means mounted on the plate for. locking the element against movement.

5. A locking attachment for lock spindles comprising a plate provided with a recess in one side thereof, an element mounted to turn in said recess adapted to receive an end of the spindle and turn therewith and provided with a recess, said element being carried by the plate independently of the spindle, and manually controlled means in the recess in the plate adapted to be moved into and from the recess. in the element.

6. A locking attachment for lock spindles, comprising a plate having a recess in one side thereof, an element in said recess adapted to receive an end of the spindle and turn therewith, said element being provided with a projection having a curved recess in one side thereof, a locking element pivotally mounted in the recess and having a curved side, and manual means on the other sideof the casing for turning the locking element into'the recess in the first element to lock the same against turning.

7. locking attachment for lock spindles, comprising a support, an elementcarried by the support ada ted to receive an end of the lock spindle an turn therewith, a locking element adapted to ooact with the first element to lock it against turning, and manual means for moving the locking element to and from looking position, said elements adapted to be assembled in the support, and then with the support adapted to be applied to the lock and spindle as a unit.

8. A locking attachment for lock spindles comprising a support adapted for attachment to a lock, manually controlled locking means mounted in the support including an element adapted to be secured to the lock spindle to turn therewith and manually controlled means to secure the said element against turning, the support and locking means being adapted to be applied to the lock and spindle as a unit.

9. In combination with a lock provided with an operating spindle, a plate provided with a recess having its ends curved and projections extending into the recess from the sides thereof, an element mounted on the spindle and adapted to turn therewith adjacent one end of the recess, said element having a projection extending toward the other end of the recess and having a concave recess at one side of said projection, and a pivoted locking element in the other end of the recess having one side straight and the other side curved and adapted when the straight side is turned toward the other element to allow the spindle to turn, said locking element also adapted to be turned into the recess in the first element to prevent rotation of the spindle.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LOUISW. GATES. 

